Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Industrial Marketing

• We don't jump into content creation right off the bat

• We'll take the time to develop a content marketing strategy

• The strategy will be documented and refined over time based on tracking reports and benchmarks

• It requires active participation of every stakeholder and a complete buy-in from you for it to be successful

• It is a process that takes time to produce sustainable results

• Content drives the inbound marketing engine. Either you need to have the resources to create the content yourself or let us create the content for you.

• Install a Content Management System (CMS. We prefer WordPress)

• You may require subscription to Marketing Automation or an email marketing service

• Integrate your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system

• Together, we will review site analytics and measurement reports regularly

• It is not a short journey or a “Band-Aid” fix for lead generation problems or slow sales

• You shouldn’t expect quick or instant results

• There are no tricks to game the system (Search engines)

• It does not run on autopilot (Marketing Automation also requires a qualified person to manage it)

• It is not a one-off marketing campaign

• It is not a hands-off strategy

DIY Websites or templates are a quick and inexpensive way to cobble together a Website. However, there are some drawbacks and issues that you may run into with one of these sites.

• Engineers and industrial buyers expect more than an informational website from their vendors. It is hard to achieve that with a cookiecutter template

• Responsive web design requires technical know-how and skills

• Optimizing the site (SEO) requires keeping up with Google’s constantly changing algorithms and knowledge of Google-approved white hat techniques

• Writing webpage content that will persuade an industrial audience to take action involves understanding buyer behavior and their decision-making process in log sales cycles

• It takes time to plan and ask the right questions to develop an industrial website that fits your sales process and turns into a productive sales tool

• Coding is not the same as marketing

You do. Once you pay for a web design project, you own it and retain the copyrights. We will provide full access to the back-end of the CMS (WordPress). The site and its contents are copyrighted in your company’s name. We may publish a screenshot of your site in our online Web portfolio but will never claim the site to be one of ours.

Note: You do not own the rights to stock images from our library unless you expressly authorize us to buy them on your behalf for your exclusive use.

• Uncovering the “tacit know-how” inside the minds of your in-house Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

• Turning those key points into compelling and cohesive content

• Write technically accurate copy, present it logically, and persuade your visitors to take action

• We know how to bring your experience and expertise to the forefront so you can win the trust of your audience and start meaningful conversations

• Industrial content creation is much more than clever wordsmithing

See our Website Design and Development page for a list of deliverables and starting costs.

Yes, you can continue to use your web server or current hosting company. Please check with us for technical requirements for a WordPress site (LAMP server environment).

We can take care of this for you. A separate price will be quoted based on your needs. We recommend adding our website maintenance package to keep your site regularly updated and secured.

We require a 50% deposit upon accepting our web design proposal. The balance with applicable sales taxes is due prior to taking your website live. You can pay by ACH, wire transfer, or using a major credit via PayPal. We cannot start your project until the initial payment is received. No refunds will be issued after we have started on a project.

• Accounting for my time can get a bit confusing, and I speak from experience with other clients who have signed consulting retainers. It is not always the actual time that we spend together on the phone, exchanging emails and/or in online meetings

• There will be occasions where I need to investigate the problem and/or review your current site before I can provide you an answer. Such hours are “billable”

• Some of your questions may require us to do additional research, read reports or materials that you provide before I can answer your question(s). Research time is billable too

• I will take the time to prepare myself to ask you the right questions during our calls and will email you an agenda before all calls. Such time is also charged to the block of time

• I bill my time in 1-hour increments. Minutes are rounded to the nearest hour

• I can assure you that there will be no surprises or “Gotchas” when you retain me as your industrial marketing consultant

Industrial marketing consulting and coaching is provided by our Founder/President, Achinta Mitra. These sessions are personalized for your specific situation and not generic pre-recorded content.

I earned my bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology – IIT, Bombay, and an MBA degree from Kent State University, Ohio. I consider myself to be blessed for being able to combine strategic left-brain thinking with compelling right-brain creativity.

I combine my engineering education with 35+ years of practical industrial marketing experience to help you connect the dots between strategic advice and tactical implementation. This skill set is pretty unique in the world of marketing and advertising. That’s why I call myself a “Marketing Engineer.” I have a lot of passion for what I do and have a strong desire to produce measurable results for my clients.

I’m originally from India and came to the U.S. in 1980 for my graduate studies (MBA). Moved to Houston, Texas in 1982 and have lived here ever since. In a nutshell, I am a transplanted Indian who has learned to become a Southern gentleman.

You can count on two things from me—commitment and courtesy. I bend over backward to live up to my commitments, and on those few occasions when I can’t, I will let you know in advance without making excuses. I will show you the simple courtesy of listening – if you are talking, I’ll shut up. I realize trust and relationships are two-way streets. I do my best to meet you halfway and earn yours.

If we don’t agree on something, I will politely voice my opinion while respecting yours. You may find me somewhat formal initially, but once we get to know each other, I may crack you up with my wit and humor. Not that I’m all charm and grace like Rhett Butler, but I do sometimes step on my wife’s foot while rushing to hold the door open for her.

My clients often say, “He is a straight shooter who knows his stuff.”

A few basic rules we follow to protect both our interests.

• All consulting blocks of time must be paid in full and in advance.

• All project work requires an initial payment of 50% of the estimate and the balance due prior to the final delivery

• No refunds will be issued after we have started on a project

• We will try to answer your marketing question(s) to the best of our abilities and do our best to satisfy you but we cannot offer any guarantees or specific outcome(s)

• Yes, we will sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) if you need us to. No, we do not work on active projects from other clients who may be your competition while we are working on your project or retainer.

• Our normal working hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 am – 5:30 pm Central Time. Our office address is 6140 Highway 6 South, Suite 175, Missouri City, TX 77459. Our phone number is 281.969.7514.

We can guarantee our best efforts to deliver results. We couldn’t have stayed in business and thrived for 35+ years if we didn’t deliver on our commitments. However, we can’t guarantee any specific outcome. We have no control over market conditions, demand for your products and services, your pricing, and a host of other things that directly impact your sales and revenues.

We strongly believe in treating every client fairly and providing excellent customer service. Clients may not always be right, but clients always have rights!